Reproductive health

Special collection

This collection examines issues related to reproductive health, including the legality of reproductive services (reproductive rights), access to those services (reproductive health), and how societal factors such as race or social status impact access to and decisions about reproductive health (reproductive justice). This includes everything from contraception and comprehensive sex education, to abortion and pre-natal and pregnancy care, as well as other issues that inform a person’s full reproductive autonomy. This special collection brings together knowledge and insights from organizations addressing reproductive health related issues and explores the impact foundations and nonprofits are having on this work.

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Behind the Counter: Findings from the 2022 Oral Contraceptives Access Survey

September 26, 2022

Over the Summer of 2022, Advocates for Youth surveyed 243 people from 43 different states about their experiences trying to access birth control pills as young people and young adults. The findings paint a concerning picture that we believe every policymaker should read.For the 55% of respondents who couldn't get on birth control due to the constraints of the current prescription-only system, one in five experienced an unintended pregnancy. Many more suffered unnecessary stress, lost wages, and more.It is time the United States join more than 100 countries around the world and bring The Pill over-the-counter and onto the shelves for all ages, covered by insurance.

Challenges in Moving Toward a More Inclusive Democracy: Findings from the 2022 American Values Survey

October 27, 2022

Approximately three-quarters of Americans agree that the country is heading in the wrong direction, but there is considerable division over whether the country needs to move backward — toward an idealized, homogeneous past — or forward, toward a more diverse future. Though most Americans favor moving forward, a sizable minority yearn for a country reminiscent of the 1950s, embrace the idea that God created America to be a new promised land for European Christians, view newcomers as a threat to American culture, and believe that society has become too soft and feminine. This minority is composed primarily of self-identified Republicans, white evangelical Protestants, and white Americans without a college degree. The majority of Americans, however, especially younger Americans, the religiously unaffiliated, and Democrats, are more likely to embrace a competing vision for the future of America that is more inclusive.

Gender, Generation, and Abortion: Shifting Politics and Perspectives After Roe

October 14, 2022

Three months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion continues to garner widespread public attention. Most Americans are still following news about abortion laws and regulations. In fact, they are paying far more attention to the issue than to the 2022 election itself. Over the summer, Gallup found spontaneous mentions of abortion as the "most important problem" facing the country reaching record highs.But after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, concerns about abortion have become more politically lopsided. Democrats are far more likely to say the issue is a priority for them, and they are paying much closer attention to news about emerging legislation than Republicans are. Nearly half of Democrats say abortion is critically important to them, while fewer than one in three Republicans say the same. Not only that, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion—a notable change from the past.At the same time, it's not clear that abortion will define the 2022 midterm elections. Relatively few Americans—roughly one in three—say abortion is a critical issue. Inflation and crime rank much higher among the public's concerns. It is also not clear that young women, who feel most passionately about the issue, will turn out to vote in greater numbers than in the past. And for most Americans, abortion is still one among many important issues on which they will judge a candidate.Still, the Dobbs decision may have an even larger impact in years to come. It may be a distinctive generational coming-of-age moment for many young women, and it may come to define their politics and worldview going forward. Polls show their attitudes on this and other issues are remarkably different from those of other Americans, including young men.Today, no issue is more important for young women than abortion. It ranks higher than inflation, crime, climate change, immigration, gun policy, education, and jobs and the economy. What's more, young women overwhelmingly say abortion should be legal—including nearly half who say there should be no restrictions on it. Finally, young women are more likely than other Americans to say abortion is a defining issue for their vote.

Influencing Young America to Act: Summer 2022

August 1, 2022

On May 2, a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito revealed that the court planned to overturn Roe v. Wade, the case that affirmed a person's Constitutional right to have an abortion. On May 14, a mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store killed 14 people; 10 days later, 19 children and two teachers inside an elementary school were killed by a teenage gunman. By the end of June, President Joe Biden had signed a $15 billion bill passed by Congress to add some restrictions to gun ownership, and the Supreme Court had removed federal abortion protections.These are the moments and events that transpired right before research began for this second report of 2022 from Cause and Social Influence. Each quarter, CSI tracks the behaviors and motivations of young Americans (ages 18-30) related to social issues and major moments. This report presents findings on data tracked all year for comparison, then focuses specifically on the social issues of guns and women's reproductive rights due to recent cultural, social and political events.

Political and Religious Activation and Polarization in the Wake of the Roe v. Wade Overturn

July 7, 2022

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had protected abortion rights nationally, Americans remain more in favor of access to abortion than opposed to it.The survey was designed and conducted by PRRI among a random sample of 2,038 adults (age 18 and up) living in all 50 states in the United States who are part of Ipsos's Knowledge Panel. Interviews were conducted online between June 24 and 26, 2022.

Long-Term Decline in US Abortions Reverses, Showing Rising Need for Abortion as Supreme Court Is Poised to Overturn Roe v. Wade

June 15, 2022

The long-term decline in abortions in the United States that started 30 years ago has reversed, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute--underscoring that the need for abortion care in the United States is growing just as the US Supreme Court appears likely to overturn or gut Roe v. Wade.According to new findings from Guttmacher's latest Abortion Provider Census--the most comprehensive data collection effort on abortion provision in the United States--there were 8% more abortions in 2020 than in 2017.

KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views on and Knowledge about Abortion in Wake of Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

June 9, 2022

For decades, KFF polling has provided insights into national and state-level reproductive health care policy including multiple public opinion polls examining the experiences and attitudes of the general public as well as the group most impacted by such policies – women between the ages of 18 and 49. This latest KFF poll was fielded the week following the leak of a draft of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Center. If the final ruling in the case resembles the leaked draft, the Court would overturn Roe v. Wade and end the constitutional right to abortion. This analysis examines the public's attitudes and understanding of the future of reproductive health and abortion access in the U.S. and looks at the role abortion and a decision on Dobbs may play in the upcoming midterm elections this November.

Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Key Findings from the 2020 KFF Women's Health Survey

April 21, 2021

Sexual and reproductive health is an integral part of women's overall health. Access to these services is shaped by a broad range of factors including coverage and affordability, national and state policies, availability of care, health provider characteristics, as well as individual preferences and experiences. For many women, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) improved access to sexual and reproductive health care by expanding pathways to Medicaid eligibility and making private insurance more affordable. The ACA also required private health insurance plans to cover many recommended preventive services without any patient cost-sharing, such as sexually transmitted infection counseling and screening and all 18 FDA-approved contraceptive methods. While the ACA has expanded sexual and reproductive health care, state and federal policy actions in recent years have resulted in more limited access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion referrals and services, particularly for women who depend on publicly supported health care providers and clinics.Access in the past year has also been undoubtedly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced providers to find ways to make contraceptive and STI services available via telehealth or through minimal contact, like no-test medication abortions. There is increasing interest in expanding efforts to allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control, gain FDA approval for over-the-counter oral contraception without a prescription, and expanding access to contraception through smartphone apps or online platforms that no longer require a visit to a brick-and-mortar clinic or doctor's office.While the system is undergoing constant change, the perspectives and experiences of women in obtaining sexual and reproductive health care can help to shape the next generation of policies and programs. This brief provides a window into some of those voices and perspectives by presenting selected findings from the 2020 KFF Women's Health Survey, a nationally representative survey of women conducted in November/December of 2020. The survey covered a wide range of topics related to women's coverage, use, access, and experiences with the health care system. This brief presents survey findings on coverage and use of reproductive and sexual health services among different subgroups of 2,695 women ages 18 to 49.